Assessing metrics like jump height, limb symmetry, and neuromuscular fatigue is a cornerstone of sports medicine and rehabilitation. While force plates have long been the gold standard, the My Jump 2 app is a disruptive, portable alternative. However, like any technology, it comes with its strengths, limitations, and areas for improvement. Here’s how these issues can be addressed in clinical settings to maximize utility and accuracy.
The Good
My Jump 2 App
• Cost-Effective: At just ~$10, the app democratizes access to performance measurement, offering a stark contrast to the $10,000+ cost of force plates .
• Portable: It fits into any clinician’s pocket, enabling assessments on courts, fields, or clinics .
• High Accuracy: Studies consistently show excellent correlation with force plates, particularly for jump height and flight time (ICC > 0.90) .
• User-Friendly: Requires minimal training, making it accessible to clinicians, athletes, and coaches alike .
Force Plates
• Unmatched Precision: Force plates offer detailed kinetic and kinematic data that go beyond what the app can measure .
• Comprehensive Data: Ideal for advanced biomechanical studies, providing force-time curves and power output .
The Bad
My Jump 2 App
• Limited Metrics: Cannot measure ground reaction forces or generate force-time curves .
• Solution for Clinics: Integrate affordable wearable sensors into clinical protocols to capture force-related metrics alongside My Jump 2.
• Potential User Error: Manual selection of take-off and landing frames can introduce variability .
• Solution for Clinics: Standardize training for clinical staff to improve accuracy and consistency in frame selection. Host periodic workshops to ensure skill retention.
• Device Dependence: Performance can vary slightly between smartphones .
• Solution for Clinics: Create clinic-wide guidelines specifying recommended smartphones with high frame rates (e.g., iPhones with 240 fps cameras).
Force Plates
• Prohibitive Cost: High upfront costs and ongoing expenses for calibration make them inaccessible to many .
• Lack of Portability: Their bulk restricts them to labs and clinics .
• Solution for Clinics: Schedule force plate assessments for critical phases of rehab (e.g., return-to-sport clearance), reducing reliance on daily use.
The Ugly
My Jump 2 App
• Overestimation Risks: Slight overestimation of jump height (~4 cm in some studies) could mislead clinicians if not adjusted .
• Solution for Clinics: Implement calibration protocols using a small sample of force plate comparisons to create clinic-specific correction factors for My Jump 2 measurements.
• No Advanced Features: Lack of detailed kinetic analysis limits its application for elite athlete evaluations .
• Solution for Clinics: Use My Jump 2 in combination with force plates or motion analysis systems for advanced evaluations while relying on the app for day-to-day assessments.
Force Plates
• Accessibility Barrier: Beyond cost, technical expertise and space requirements restrict their use to well-funded labs .
• Solution for Clinics: Partner with universities or research facilities to access force plates for specialized testing.
Here are strategies to make My Jump 2 a cornerstone of clinical assessments:
Conclusion
The My Jump 2 app is a powerful tool that levels the playing field for clinicians, offering reliable data at a fraction of the cost of force plates. By addressing its limitations with clinical strategies—such as integrating wearable tech or applying calibration protocols—it becomes an indispensable part of sports medicine practice. While force plates remain invaluable for advanced analyses, My Jump 2 brings the power of performance assessment to the masses, making it ideal for busy clinics and field-based care.
References
1. Medeiros, A. I. A., Silva, G. M., Neto, F. O., Simim, M., Banja, T., Coswig, V. S., & Mesquita, I. (2024). Validity and reliability of My Jump 2® app to measure the vertical jump on elite women beach volleyball players. PeerJ, 12:e17387. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17387
2. Bogataj, Š., Pajek, M., Andrašic, S., & Trajkovic, N. (2020). Concurrent validity and reliability of My Jump 2 app for measuring vertical jump height in recreationally active adults. Applied Sciences, 10(11), 3805. https://doi.org/10.3390/app10113805
3. Lee Bridgeman et al. (2024). The validity and reliability of the My Jump Lab Artificial Intelligence application. SportRxiv. https://osf.io/z9q2k
4. Balsalobre-Fernández, C., Glaister, M., & Lockey, R. A. (2015). The validity and reliability of an iPhone app for measuring vertical jump performance. Journal of Sports Sciences, 33(15), 1574-1579. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2014.996184
5. Gallardo-Fuentes, F., Gallardo-Fuentes, J., Ramírez-Campillo, R., et al. (2016). Validation of a smartphone application for measuring jump height. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 11(5), 714-718. https://doi.org/10.1177/1747954116654788
6. Sentürk, D., et al. (2024). Investigating the validity and reliability of My Jump 2 app in team sports settings. Journal of Human Kinetics. (Pre-print version).
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